A1 (Greece) 2026/27

The Hellenic Handball Federation (OXE) runs the top-tier men’s competition, currently branded as Handball Premier. It sits at the apex of the Greek handball pyramid, directly above the A2 Ethniki. The structure comprises a regular round-robin stage where all participating sides play each other, followed by a playoff stage for the top four finishers. These semi-finals are contested as a best-of-three series, a format that distinguishes the conclusion from two-legged finals common in other sports. The winner claims the national championship and secures the primary route into European competition. Promotion and relegation link this tier to the second division: the champions of the two A2 geographical groups move up, while the bottom two teams from the premier flight drop down. The competition traces its origins to 1979, with the inaugural season concluding in 1980. Over the decades, it has shifted names, operating as the Panhellenic Championship until 1982, then Alpha Ethniki, before adopting the A1 Ethniki title in 1989. Since 2015, the Handball Premier moniker has been used. Historical dominance has shifted across eras. Ionikos Nea Filadelfeia holds the record for most titles with ten, having dominated the early years of the tournament. Filippos Veria follows closely with nine victories. In recent years, Olympiacos Piraeus has emerged as the leading force, securing consecutive championships in the 2023–24, 2024–25, and 2025–26 seasons. The league currently features twelve clubs competing for the title. This structure sets it apart from the Greek Handball Cup, which operates as a secondary, single-elimination knockout tournament offering an alternative European qualification path rather than a season-long league determination.